Page 65 of Trust In Love (Love Mark 2)

“Jesus, Nic,” he rasped, and the f

ingers holding my forearm tightened fractionally. “Must you say such things?”

“Yes.” I sent him a devilish grin, fully expecting a reprimand for my words, but when our gazes met, he just stared at me, temptation thick in his expression.

I whispered his name. He heaved out a heavy breath and his fingers shifted, sliding down my arm and over my wrist guards until they touched the back of my hand. Then his caress kept going, winding around to the front until he pressed his palm against mine. There, our fingers laced, and he watched the joining as his thumb glazed over mine.

“I’ve never met anyone like you before,” he admitted quietly. “You make me want the impossible.”

“Not impossible,” I promised, which only made his eyes flare and his thumb push inside the crevice made between my thumb and index finger, as if he were picturing another part of him entering another part of me.

I whimpered wantonly, waiting for his next move, certain that if I did anything at all, it would scare him away and he’d pull back. His lashes fluttered and lungs stuttered out air as his grip on me tightened. When he swayed forward, I leaned in to meet him, thinking finally.

Finally.

But then a sudden commotion of voices broke through the trees, ruining the moment, and he yanked away, spinning toward the sound.

Dammit. I was getting very tired of other people interrupting my mini breakthroughs with this man. At this rate, we’d be seventy before he capitulated to my charms.

Forgetting all about our almost kiss, Farrow held up a hand, bade me to stay put, and then took off jogging toward all the hullabaloo going on north of us to check it out.

17

Farrow

I barely made it out of the camp before Nicolette murmured next to my ear, “Do you think they know we’re here?”

At the question, I closed my eyes and let out a silent groan.

Of course. She had followed me. I mean, why ever would she remain behind after I’d specifically asked her to stay put? For her own safety.

Women, I swear.

At least she was quiet, though. Easing up to my side without making a sound, she waited for my response.

Grasping her hand to keep her at my side, since she obviously insisted on coming along, I shook my head and spoke just as softly. “Anything’s possible, so it’s hard to tell.”

In all actuality, it sounded merely like a group of people who were passing by. If their intent had been to sneak in for an attack, one would think they’d be quieter than they were currently being.

But with the slim chance I was wrong, I began to edge backward toward camp, returning to the pair of trees I had Mint and Caramel tied to, drawing Nicolette with me.

She went willingly, and even dug through her own satchels when I rummaged through mine to retrieve more weapons.

“Give me the cold,” I urged as she pulled it out.

But all she gave me was a glare. “Don’t be ridiculous. You don’t even know how to use it. And besides…” She sniffed and tipped up her face. “I’m fairly certain cold wasn’t the correct word for it, anyway.”

I rolled my eyes, put out that even now she wouldn’t let me hold the damn thing.

Once I had my hatchet in hand, I tightened my grip on her fingers and leaned close to murmur, “We’re merely going to scout out the situation, get some intel to make sure they’re not a threat, and then leave again. Okay?”

She nodded and stuck by my side.

“Keep low and try to watch where you step,” I advised. “When we move in close enough to be seen—”

“Oh, please.” Nicolette sent me a dry glance. “I grew up in a castle, you know.” When I lifted my eyebrows questioningly, she added, “The only way to learn anything interesting there is to figure out how to sneak and spy without getting caught. I know how to stay quiet, thank you very much.”

Since slinking around a castle was exactly where I’d learned the same thing, I gave her a head-bob of respect, and we moved forward together as one. Then we paused and crouched at the same moment, ducking behind a bush.

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